Why I Drop a Lot of Dough on My Clothes and You Should, Too

The math works out in the end.

I won’t say that “You get what you pay for” are the direct words of God, but I will say I accept them as a universal truth.

There are a few different types of men walking this earth. Some of them are so rich they don’t have to give a shit about the cost of anything they own. Some of them are so poor that they’ll spend $25 on a cheap pair of pants just to have to re-purchase those same pants in three months—and every three months—because they rip.

But some of us understand the value in spending $100 on one pair of pants that’ll last us well over a year. I fall into this category.

The boots on my feet cost me $380. The button down I’m wearing cost me $65. My jeans? Yup, $100. Hell, even my socks and boxer briefs cost me a few bucks a pair. I tell you this not to gloat or to sit around and give Internet trolls fodder, but to appeal to other hardworking, budget-conscious men who understand the value of a dollar, but haven’t yet learned how that value coincides with quality.

The fact is, a lot of it is simple economics. I wear the boots I wear because they’re made right here in the U.S. and because I know that they’ll last me for at least the next decade with some minor repairs. My boots are invaluable tools to me, so why the hell would I skimp on quality when doing so will only mean I’ll just be spending more money on a new pair of boots in a couple years, or worse, months?

Show me a $20-pair of jeans that could stand up to the same level of day-in-and-day-out abuse I put my thick-cut American-made selvedge denim that cost $150 through and I’ll delete every word I’ve ever written on the topic. And the only damn reason I haven’t been wearing the same boxer briefs for the last three years is because I’m morally opposed to the idea and because I like sleeping with women who don’t live in trailer parks. (No offense to women who live in trailer parks, I’m sure you’re all real lovely.)

The point is, folks, when you understand the value of a dollar, you’ll likely refuse to buy piss-poor quality clothing. Think about it: $25 once every couple months or $150 once ever couple years?